Bismarck-style asparagus 

A fleeting delight of spring, asparagus goes perfectly with eggs: here is the most classic of recipes, Bismarck-style asparagus. Asparagus is as good as it is fleeting: in season in spring, it appears in March and then disappears with the first sultry days. For this reason, when they are on the market stalls, you must immediately take advantage of them. Purifying and draining, asparagus is rich in water and potassium, stimulates diuresis and helps eliminate excess toxins, just what we need in the change of season. To cook asparagus there are many ideas: the most classic, easy and quick, is the combination with eggs as in the recipe for asparagus alla Bismarck, an Italian dish but which bears the name of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck who is said to have been very fond of eggs. For this preparation, simply clean and boil the asparagus, cook the fried eggs, then serve by placing the asparagus next to the eggs and season everything with melted butter and Parmesan cheese. The dish is ready!

Ingredients

1 Kg asparagus

120 g butter

50 g grated Parmesan cheese

6 eggs

lemon

salt

Procedure

For the Bismarck-style asparagus recipe, peel the asparagus by removing the stringy part of the stems, then tie them in bunches and boil them in a saucepan with boiling water, salted and acidulated with a slice of lemon. Drain them well and divide them between 6 individual plates, previously heated. Separately, in a frying pan, melt a spoonful of butter and cook the eggs in it. Place them next to the 6 portions of boiled asparagus. In the same pan, let the butter bubble up. Toss the asparagus with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with melted butter and serve immediately.

Tasty chicken from Lazio

A free-range chicken, anchovies, capers and parsley: here's what you need to prepare the tasty chicken as it is used to cook it in the Lazio tradition. Tasty chicken is the second dish with which we continue our journey to discover the traditional preparations of Lazio, after the pinsa romana with puntarelle and fried provolone. The people of Lazio are masters in making white meats tastier: in this tasty chicken recipe, they do it by mixing the cooking juices of the meat with chopped anchovies and capers to obtain a tasty sauce that makes the chicken soft and tasty. The preparation is completed with parsley and, if desired, with chili pepper.

Ingredients

1,4 kg free-range chicken 

5 Anchovy fillets in oil

1 tablespoon of desalted capers

chopped parsley

dry white wine

extra virgin olive oil

Pepper

salt

Procedure

Divide the chicken into eight parts and season with salt, pepper and oil. Place it in a saucepan with high sides so that the pieces are all well adhered to the bottom, on the skin side. Sauté the chicken for 20 minutes over medium heat, with a drizzle of oil, covered. Turn the pieces on the pulp side and turn up the heat, cook for another 20 minutes always with the lid on. Chop anchovies and capers, remove the salt, and mix the mixture with the cooking juices. Turn up the heat and sauté for 5 minutes, then deglaze with 1/2 glass of white wine. Lower and cook with the lid on for 30 minutes: the chicken should be glazed from its bottom, well browned but not dry. If the chicken dries out too much, deglaze with a ladle of vegetable broth. Turn off the heat and top with chopped parsley and chili pepper to taste.

 

Summer Argyros Santorini Assyrtiko 2016

Tasting note

Smoky, full-bodied and rich: this Greek white wine made from the classic Assyrtiko grape is exceptional! Greedy acidity perfect for seafood. Medium bodied. The 2016 vintage pours with quite deep yellow color. There is a certain ripeness as well with waxy, yellow plum/pear... The wine was fermented in 100% stainless steel. The grapes grow on 80-100 year old un grafted vines in Episkopi and Pyrgos. There are 4,000 hectares of vines planted on volcanic and sandy soils.

92 points - Mark Squires, Wine Advocate, June 2016

Assyrtiko production has also established a foothold in other parts of Greece, showing its versatile character in the varied expressions found beyond its volcanic origins. In the northern regions of Drama, Sithonia and Chalkidiki, to Crete, Atalanti and the Aegean island of Paros, Assytriko’s laser focus takes on lush layers of tropical fruit and earthy herbs.

Assyrtiko food pairings: grilled fish, hot shellfish dish, grilled calamari.

Wine experts think this Santorini White wine would be a match made in heaven with this dish. Bon appétit!

Grilled sea bream

Grilled fish is something truly exquisite, so it's easy to imagine how a grilled sea bream made on the barbecue can make your mouth water. Delicate flavor, with the addition of some spices the result will be exceptional. A fairly simple recipe that doesn't take too long, for a fish that lends itself to many recipes (the salted sea bream is delicious). A second course of those ideal for a nice dinner with friends, perhaps for some special occasion. Parsley, garlic, sage and lemon to flavor and it will be a masterpiece. Let's see how to prepare a grilled sea bream with the barbecue that is truly perfect and makes us look great.

Ingredients

Sea bream 800 g 

Garlic 3 cloves 

Parsley 1 bunch 

Sage 1 bunch 

Lemons 1 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste 

Extra virgin olive oil to taste

Preparation

If it is not already clean, wash the sea bream well, removing the scales and entrails, rinse abundantly with cold water. Fill the inside of the sea bream with garlic, sage and parsley, as well as lemon slices. Water it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, in the meantime preheat the barbecue to a medium-high temperature, about 200°C for direct cooking by oiling the grill. Let it cook on one side without touching the fish. When it begins to detach, turn it to the opposite side and close the cooking. Fish to taste, accompany it with potatoes.

Tip

To prevent the sea bream from sticking to the grill, it is necessary to grease the grill well with oil and heat it.

 

Spinach omelet 

The perfect spinach omelet, just 2 eggs and lots of spinach. It only has 260 calories! The omelet with spinach and mozzarella is not only a delicious second course, in fact it is also as genuine as it is rich, which is certainly able to delight the palate of all your diners. Without a shadow of a doubt, it is a very simple dish to prepare, but it turns out to be a real delight especially if it is eaten when it is still hot and stringy. In addition, it will not even require you to spend too much time in the kitchen, because the process is really very quick, in fact it will not take you more than 25 minutes in total!

Ingredients

400 gr of spinach

200 gr of light mozzarella

100 gr of Parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Salt to taste

a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

To start, clean your spinach, then if it has a stem that is too long, remove it, then wash it thoroughly under running water. Now fill a pot (with high sides) with enough water, then boil it and then transfer your spinach to it, using a ladle to make sure that it is perfectly submerged. At this point, leave the vegetables on the stove for 4/5 minutes, then drain them and put them in a colander where you will leave them for 1 hour to dry. After this period of time, the spinach will have released the cooking water, so to remove more, gently squeeze it using the back of a spoon. Now break the eggs into a large bowl, add the Parmesan cheese and salt then beat them. At this point, add the spinach, stirring very gently and using a spatula or wooden spoon. Once this is done, cut your mozzarella into cubes, then add it to the spinach mixture and mix everything together. Then pour the oil into a pan and heat it up, once hot, transfer your omelet and cook it over low heat (this will guarantee you even cooking inside). As soon as the bottom is properly golden, turn it over (with the help of a plate), then continue cooking on the other side. Finally, bring it to the table when it is still hot, even better if accompanied by basmati rice and a bruschetta.

Tip

To have a drier and less watery mozzarella, it is advisable to leave it in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours before use, so that it rests. Most likely, not everyone knows that spinach is very good for you, especially when eaten together with lemon, as Vitamin C helps to increase the absorption of the iron contained in vegetables. In addition, they have a high concentration of lutein (which helps protect the eyes and health in general), folic acid and Vitamin A, not to mention that they are also an excellent remedy against constipation.

Pea Omelet

Pea omelet easy recipe... The pea omelet is a simple dish to make but very tasty, it can be a perfect dinner saver, a practical second course to bring to the table, but also a delicious and colorful appetizer suitable for enriching a holiday table, an aperitif, a brunch and much more... If you've never tried it, you have to fix it immediately, here's the recipe! You'll see, you'll love it at first taste!

Ingredients

500 g Frozen peas (good quality)

1 carrot

Half a medium onion

Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

4 large eggs

50 g grated Parmesan cheese 

Half a teaspoon baking powder 

Preparation

Peel the onion and carrot, cut them into chunks and brown them in a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the frozen peas, you can also use spring peas, but in any case they must be of excellent quality, brown and cover with water, add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil and cook until all the water has evaporated, leaving only a small broth on the bottom. Beat the eggs with the cheese, add the drained peas and if you want a high omelet also a pinch of baking powder (the one for cakes, but not vanilla). Mix well, heat a non-stick pan that is not too large and grease with a drizzle of oil, pour the mixture and cook over medium heat with the lid on, after five minutes, with the help of a plate try to turn it. To check the cooking, make a hole in the center and check that no raw egg comes out. Turn two more times, first on one side and then on the other until fully cooked. Serve, let it rest for a few minutes and serve preferably still hot.

 

Shrimp bisque recipe

Shrimp BISQUE or also known as Crustacean Stock is a delicious broth extracted from shellfish waste, you can also add other types of crustacean shell such as lobster, scampi or lobster. Basic recipe to flavor risottos, fish first courses, sauces or soups. Very simple: those who know the classic vegetable broth know how to prepare this broth. I always make some when I make shrimp recipes and set it aside or freeze it in cubes to give that extra touch to the recipes.

Learn how to make this recipe.

Ingredients

Prawns 500 g

Cherry tomatoes 

Onion 50 g

Celery 50 g

Carrots 50 g

Olive oil 30 ml

Parsley 1 bunch

Water 600 ml

Preparation

Clean the shrimp or shellfish, making sure that the sauce and what comes out of the shell is still set aside for the bisque. Put the olive oil and the chopped onion in a saucepan with the remaining vegetables. Sauté everything for a minute then add the shells of the crustaceans or shrimps and brown for a few minutes over high heat, turning and crushing the shells and heads. Then deglaze with the white wine, let it evaporate and finally add the water. Cook everything for about 1 hour, so that the water reduces and thickens. Strain the bisque by mashing it in a sieve. Once this is done, move on to its use and consumption. 🙂

 

Grilled Swordfish

Grilled swordfish on the grill is a light and tasty main course that you absolutely must prepare if you want a light but tasty lunch or dinner. Its fleshy and firm texture means that it is also palatable to those who are not fond of fish in general. The marinade with oil, chili, rosemary and lemon makes it really delicious and brings out its goodness, preventing it from becoming stringy during cooking... you just have to try it! The low fats of which swordfish is composed make it ideal in a careful and basically healthy diet; Personally, it's one of my favorite bluefish.

Ingredients

400 g 2 Swordfish Steaks

30 ml Sunflower oil

1 Lemon (juice and grated zest)

1 chili pepper

1 pinch Rosemary

1 pinch Salt

Preparation

Rinse the swordfish steaks under running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a bowl or on a plate and pour over the oil, salt, chopped chili pepper, a little rosemary, the juice of a lemon and its grated zest. Be careful not to grate the white part of the lemon, otherwise you will give the marinade a bitter taste! Stir so that all the swordfish is coated with the seasoning and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and let it rest for about 1 hour; If you have time, I recommend that you make it stay another hour in order to make it even tastier. Once the marinating time has elapsed, remove the slices from the fridge and place them directly, without draining, on the hot plate. Bake about 7-8 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Serve immediately, accompanied by veggies. Add more lemon, if you like.

 

Bucatini Pasta with Braised Beef

When it comes to rich and succulent recipes, the Piedmont region takes the field by unleashing truly magnificent dishes, just like braised beef in Barolo. Starting from the timeless vitello tonnato to the famous ravioli. Then there are recipes such as green sauce, an irresistible companion to boiled meats and sandwiches. And the desserts? The best! The panna cotta, whose texture never ceases to conquer gourmets all over the world. And after this irresistible roundup of delicacies, which are part of the heritage of Italian cuisine, let's move on to the top of all recipes: braised beef in Barolo. A highly sought-after second course that is prepared using the red wine of the same name from Piedmont. A rich and succulent recipe to dedicate yourself to and to give to guests during special occasions, and why not, even for the Christmas holidays, for a sumptuous Christmas lunch!

Since I don't like waste in the kitchen, I decided to enrich the cooking juices by blending the vegetables in the marinade, but if you prefer a brighter color and an even stronger flavor, just unwrap them and let the bottom shrink to obtain a colorful reduction. Now that you know everything you need to know about braised beef in Barolo, all you have to do is get in the kitchen to make this precious cult of our cuisine!

INGREDIENTS

Beef 1 Kg

Barolo (1 bottle) 750 Ml

Carrots (about 2 medium) 160 g

Celery (about 2 medium ribs) 100 g

Golden onions (about 1 coarse) 180 g

Garlic 1 segment

Rosemary 1 sprig

Laurel 2 leaves

Cloves 3

Black peppercorns 4

Cinnamon sticks 1

Butter 15 g

Extra virgin olive oil 50 g

Fine salt to taste

PREPARATION

To prepare the braised beef in Barolo, start by making an aromatic bag. Place the cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon in a piece of sterile gauze. Close and make a bow with kitchen string. Then add the rosemary and bay leaves and move on to the vegetables. Clean the celery, carrot and onion, trim and cut into 2-3 cm thick chunks, then peel the garlic clove. In a large bowl, pour the meat, vegetables, bag and fragrant bunch. Then cover everything with wine until the meat is completely covered. Then cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8-12 hours. After the time has elapsed, drain everything without throwing away the bottom. Take the meat and place it on the cutting board, dry it with paper towels. In a frying pan, melt the butter in the oil over medium heat. As soon as the bottom is hot, add the meat and let it brown over high heat. Turn on all sides so that the crust forms on the surface. After a few minutes, transfer the meat and its bottom to a large pot, heat for a moment over medium heat and add the drained vegetables leaving them to flavor over lower heat for about 15 minutes. At this point you can adjust the salt and cover the meat with its marinade up to half. Bring to a boil and then close with the lid, lower the heat a little and let it simmer for 1 hour. After the time has elapsed, turn over and, only if needed, you can add a little more marinating liquid. Continue cooking for another hour. Once the braised meat is cooked, remove it from the pot and set aside on a plate, covering with the lid. Then remove the aromas. Before blending the vegetables and the bottom of the cottra with an immersion blender, you can scoop up some liquid and set it aside. This way you can add it as needed to get the desired consistency. In the meantime, slice the meat, trying to get 2-3 slices per person and arrange in the serving dish; Cover the slices with the sauce. Your braised beef in Barolo is ready to be  enjoyed with the pasta of your choice!

 

OSSO BUCO DE VEAU À LA GREMOLATA 

Osso buco de veau, un plat italien classique préparé en braisant des jarrets de veau dans une sauce parfumée jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient tendres. Servez-le sur un lit de polenta crémeuse et garnissez de gremolata aux agrumes pour égayer les saveurs de ce plat décadent mais facile !

L'ossobuco est un plat italien traditionnel de la région de Lombardie à base de jarrets de veau avec os (ossobuco se traduit littéralement par « os troué »).

La moelle osseuse rend cette recette vraiment spéciale et luxueuse, parfaite pour le dîner du dimanche ou pour des occasions spéciales. Versez-le et dégustez-le avec la sauce riche ou étalez-le sur du pain croustillant.

INGRÉDIENTS

Regardez la photo ci-dessous qui vous montre tous les ingrédients dont vous avez besoin (moins le sel, le poivre et l'huile d'olive) ainsi que quelques conseils importants !

Jarrets de veau – assurez-vous que vos jarrets de veau sont suffisamment épais (1 pouce/2,5 cm) pour qu'ils ne se désagrègent pas aussi facilement.

La carotte, le céleri et l'oignon – connus sous le nom de il soffritto en italien, ajoutent tellement de saveur aux ragoûts et aux soupes.

Feuille de laurier et romarin – utilisez des herbes fraîches (bien que la feuille de laurier séchée soit acceptable), n'utilisez pas de romarin séché. Vous pouvez également utiliser du thym frais.

Vin blanc – utilisez un vin blanc sec pour de meilleurs résultats. Si vous évitez l'alcool, vous pouvez l'ignorer, mais cela affectera la saveur globale et je ne recommande pas de l'ignorer.

Bouillon – utilisez un bouillon de poulet faible en sodium afin de pouvoir contrôler la quantité de sel ajoutée. N'utilisez pas de bouillon de bœuf, il est trop fort pour le goût délicat du veau.

Pâte de tomate – connue sous le nom de purée de tomates au Canada, il s'agit d'une pâte de tomate riche et concentrée qui ajoutera beaucoup de saveur sans ajouter trop de liquide.

Akaushi Prime rib 

Akaushi Prime ribs are full of flavor and very juicy. It is a fan favorite for large gatherings and holidays. Akaushi Prime Rib Roasts are exquisitely marbled which provides a rich, full-flavored, delicious dinning experience! The Certified Akaushi Beef boneless prime rib roast is the perfect centerpiece to bring the whole meal together. This perfectly marbled ribeye roast is the epitome of indulgence and flavor, providing you with a dining experience that is truly extraordinary. Enjoy every bite of its unrivaled tenderness while creating lasting memories around the dinner table. I have expertly removed the bones, allowing for effortless cutting and serving. 

Prepare the perfect roast in 6 easy steps:

THAW: Slowly thaw the roast for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

HEAT OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350°F and take the roast out of the packaging. For best results, pat it dry and allow roast to gradually reach close to room temperature before the next step.

SEASON: Season the roast by generously applying salt and your favorite seasonings.

ROAST: Place the prime rib in a roasting pan and cook for 15-18 minutes per pound or until it reaches your preferred finish.

REST: After it has reached your desired temperature, let the roast rest for up to 30 minutes under a loosely placed foil cover. This resting period could increase the internal temperature by 5-10 degrees.

SERVE & ENJOY: Slice your Certified Akaushi Beef boneless prime rib to your desired thickness and enjoy!

Broken spaghetti in broth

Whether it's summer or winter, if there's pasta with fish broth I don't hold back. The title already contains the whole recipe, starting with the type of pasta: strictly hand-chopped spaghetti. The technique that my grandmother used, and that I continue to use too, consists of breaking the spaghetti in half and placing them inside a tea towel. While you hold the napkin with one hand, with the other, closed into a fist, you crush them as if you wanted to knead. In the end, you will get perfectly chopped spaghetti. Spaghetti spezzati with fish broth has the scent of the sea, as long as you cook fresh fish just caught. The type may vary according to the availability of the day or personal tastes. Ultimately, a very simple recipe that combines the advantage of making us taste, in addition to a fragrant first course that will make us lick our lips, a second course with fish with tender and delicate meat.

Ingredients

Fish 500 gr 

Spaghetti 250 gr 

Celery 2 ribs

Parsley 1 sprig

Basil 10 leaves

1 large carrot

Potatoes 2

Salt to taste

Cherry tomatoes 8-10 

Onion 1/2

Steps

Talk to your local fishmonger and buy some mixed fish to make a good broth. For the recipe for Spaghetti spezzati with fish broth I bought 1 scorpion fish, 2 gurnards, 4 cicadas, 1 conger eel and some shrimps. Vary the type of fish according to your tastes and what the catch of the day offers. Start by removing the scales, then gut the fish, wash them thoroughly and place them to the side. In a large saucepan, fry chopped garlic, onion, parsley, chopped cherry tomatoes, carrot and celery in plenty of oil and let it go for 3/4 minutes. Arrange the fish so that they do not overlap, add a lot of water to cover them and cook for about 20 minutes. The time will vary depending on the size of the fish and the type (e.g. the presence of crustaceans). Season with salt and pepper. As soon as they are cooked, transfer the fish to a pan and, with the help of a sieve, strain the broth into a pan in sufficient quantity to cook the pasta. Bring back to the boil and toss in the previously chopped spaghetti. Season with salt and finish cooking. Serve with plenty of broth and garnish with a few pieces of deboned fish.